This invention relates to shear-wall building-frame structure, and in particular, to such structure which features spaced pairs of upright, elongate, next-adjacent columns that are load-bearingly interconnected with vertically spaced pairs of laterally spanning beams, and poured-in-place (typically concrete), generally planar, upright shear panels that carry shear loads into and between such columns and beams. Preferably, each such shear panel is formed in such a fashion that it embeds one or more lateral beam(s) which extend(s) between columns, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention which is disclosed and illustrated herein, such panels are illustrated in sizes including panels which embed but a single beam, and panels which embed a pair of such beams.
This invention also relates to methodology involved in the creation of shear-wall building-frame structure of the type just mentioned above.
As will become apparent, the structure of this invention offers special utility in plural-story, steel, column-and-beam-frame buildings.
While different specific materials may be employed to create the shear wall panels of the present invention, a preferred implementation of the invention is illustrated herein with such panels being formed of poured (or otherwise introduced) structural concrete of any appropriate, selectable constituent mixture.
The various features and advantages of this invention will become more fully apparent as the description which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.